Aaron Bessey enters his second year as Athletic Director for the Mountain Lions, bringing unmatched energy, enthusiasm, and results to Young Harris College Athletics.
In his first year at YHC, Bessey helped lead the department to one of its most successful seasons in school history. Under his leadership:
· Men’s and Women’s Soccer won Conference Carolinas division titles and advanced in postseason play.
· Men’s and Women’s Basketball each won over 20 games for the first time in school history and hosted opening-round postseason games.
· Softball, Baseball, Tennis, and Women’s Lacrosse all advanced in postseason play, with Baseball finishing as Conference Carolinas co-champions and entering NCAA Regional play ranked in the top 10 nationally.
· Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field completed their first full seasons.
· The department set new all-time records in overall GPA, community service hours, social media following, livestream viewership, and annual fundraising.
· Facility upgrades included a new turf soccer/lacrosse field, resurfaced purple tennis courts, and a new practice court in the Harp Recreation & Commencement Center. The Weight room also saw major upgrades and advances after hiring Director of Sports Performance Crystal McCullough.
Bessey also oversaw the launch of a revamped Mountain Lion Club, offering fans and alumni enhanced benefits like reserved season tickets, hospitality passes, and parking access. Two new annual fundraising events, a fall golf tournament and a spring silent auction; helped set a new annual fundraising record of more than $600,000, most of which supports student-athlete scholarships.
Before joining YHC on July 1, 2024, Bessey served as Associate Athletic Director for External Relations at UNC Asheville. There, he helped break an annual fundraising record of $2.2 million and led the external team to new milestones in donor and sponsorship revenue, including:
· Over $800,000 in annual fund contributions
· More than $600,000 in corporate sponsorships
· Over $350,000 in sport-specific giving
Prior to UNC Asheville, Bessey was Senior Associate Athletic Director at Lenoir-Rhyne University, where he oversaw Development, Capital Projects, Corporate Sponsorships, Sports Communications, Digital & Creative Content, Ticketing, and Marketing. He played a key role in capital campaigns totaling over $22 million, including an $18 million football and lacrosse stadium. His efforts also led to new fundraising benchmarks, including:
· $700,000 in annual Bears Club revenue
· Over $300,000 in corporate revenue
· $130,000 raised in a single day during the annual homecoming golf and auction
Bessey’s leadership consistently elevated the gameday experience and digital engagement at both LR and UNC Asheville, with significant growth in social media and livestream viewership. His teams earned NACDA, NACMA, and CoSIDA awards, and LR student-athletes logged over 6,000 community service hours during his tenure.
Earlier in his career, Bessey served as Director of Marketing at Georgia State University and Assistant Director of Marketing at Appalachian State University. He is a graduate of NC State University, where he was a student manager for the men’s basketball team.
Bessey and his wife, Dr. Caroline Bessey, a primary care physician at Chatuge Family Practice, live in Hayesville with their daughter, Sophie.
